August 8, 2023
MOUNT DESERT — An intertribal coalition of all five tribal communities in Maine, in partnership with A Climate to Thrive, were recently awarded a $100,000 prize from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energizing Rural Communities Prize competition.
This award will go toward the development of an intertribal community-owned solar program with the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy at Pleasant Point, Passamaquoddy at Indian Township, Maliseet and Mi’kmaq tribal communities.
Over the next year, ACTT will work with members of the five tribal communities and Dr. Sharon Klein from the University of Maine’s Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions to develop this program.
A steering committee will be formed from members of each of the tribal communities and will work closely with the project team to determine potential solar sites and develop detailed financial and business plans for the solar projects.
“A Climate to Thrive has worked over the past couple of years to develop a cooperative solar ownership model that fits within Maine’s regulatory and legislative frameworks,” said ACTT Executive Director Johannah Blackman. “The purpose of this model is to open access to solar ownership, and the accompanying equity, to low- and moderate-income homeowners and renters.
“The experience has been really positive and the MDI Solar Cooperative is exploring initial sites. We are really excited to collaborate with the tribes and Dr. Klein on the Intertribal Cooperative Solar Project and grateful to have the funding support to make the work possible.”
This prize award from the Department of Energy will provide the necessary funds to get this project off the ground, which will ultimately benefit all participating members of the five tribal communities.
The program will ensure that the tribes have full ownership of the solar arrays and reap all the benefits from the production of clean, renewable energy.
This award is due to the collaborative effort of the intertribal coalition, ACTT and Dr. Sharon Klein, all of whom developed the plan for this partnership and applied for the prize. The team is among 67 prize recipients from around the country, with three other recipients from Maine, including Island Institute, Islesboro and the Center for an Ecology-Based Economy.
ACTT is a nonprofit organization based on Mount Desert Island that builds models for community-driven, equitable climate solutions. For more information, visit www.aclimatetothrive.org.